Scotland at a Crossroads: Evaluating Party Manifestos on Scotland’s Just Transition
Our assessment of how party manifestos deliver against a just transition.
By Laurie Macfarlane, Hanna Wheatley, Juan-Pedro Castro and David Avern
29 April 2026
By Laurie Macfarlane, Hanna Wheatley, Juan-Pedro Castro and David Avern
29 April 2026
The 2026 Scottish election comes at a pivotal moment for Scotland’s just transition to net zero. The next five years will be decisive in determining whether the country meets its legally binding climate targets, or whether they drift further out of reach. This report provides an independent, evidence-based assessment of how Scotland’s main political parties respond to these challenges in their 2026 election manifestos. It evaluates the extent to which each party sets out credible and deliverable plans across four key areas:
- Climate and nature: The extent to which manifestos are committed to tackling Scotland’s twin climate and nature crises.
- Poverty and inequality: The extent to which manifestos aim to reduce poverty and inequalities in Scotland.
- Fiscal sustainability: The extent to which manifestos recognise the extent of Scotland’s fiscal challenge, and contain credible plans to fund the delivery of a just transition.
- Labour market and the economy: The extent to which manifestos set out a credible plan for creating new green jobs and supporting the transition away from high-carbon industries.
We conclude by identifying areas of emerging consensus and growing divergence between Scotland’s major political parties.